He Isn't Good
by pyr0technic
Summary: "How do you kill someone who isn't afraid of death?" — AU. In which Kiba is a mafia leader, and Ino fights back.
1. dark blue

**title: **He Isn't Good  
**warnings: **graphic content may be ahead, of the violent nature.  
**notes: **first time writing kiba/ino. ino isn't a fully fleshed out character (imo) and therefore, i will be taking some liberties into writing her. please review and tell me what you think, and i may continue this. based off of the classic of rama/seetha.  
**summary: **"How do you kill someone who isn't afraid of death?" — AU. In which Kiba is a mafia leader, and Ino fights back.

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1\. — dark blue

The forest was alive with plant life.

Kiba stood at the edge of a cliff, placid eyes peering into the pool of water below. It was murky with dirt, but clear with the sky's reflection. He imagined the water tasted like life with traces of sweet dew.

He glanced down at his feet, finding a round, soft pebble. It seemed out of place, with all the jagged boulders bordering the area around him. The stone underneath his feet was slick with rainwater; the pebble was dry.

He kicked it over the cliff, watching it go.

And without waiting for it to splash, he dove headfirst.

* * *

In a bustling city, there were three things happening at once.

A scrawny, unkempt man on a bicycle emerged from the outskirts of the city and continued to cycle on to the entrance of the forest. He threw the contraption aside almost the second he reached his destination, kicking it aside with an expression filled with disgust.

After hiding it with shrubbery, he went inside. He began a light jog, wearing the expression of an innocent cultured civilian. Yet, concentration in his youthful eyes would give him away to anyone who paid close enough attention. He stopped when he was two miles in, and he stood in silence for a moment, contemplating.

One by one, he rolled jagged stones over to the commercial forest path. He set them side by side until the path was blocked, and anyone passing through would have to stop and move them if they wanted to proceed.

Then, he waited.

Second. A man and a woman, with a similar unkempt and scruffy appearance were sitting side by side on a picnic bench at a carnival. They exchanged looks of acknowledgement, and the blonde man nodded and left. She surveyed the man as he sauntered up to one of the police officers loafing around by the ticket booth. She watched him pick the officer's pocket, and grit her teeth when the officer punched him so hard there was a spray of blood.

But when the man punched right back, a wry, amused smile appeared on her face. She swallowed her expression, however, when more officers came to the scene to haul him away. She realized there must be a station close if they were walking.

Two officers stayed behind, and she realized it was time.

Third. "This is degrading," she whispered to herself. "This is disgusting," she told herself with a plastic smile. She unraveled the tie from her hair and undid her blouse by three buttons.

Her hips swayed when she walked up to the men, and similarly, their expressions swayed. A sugar sweet melody fell from her lips as she winked at them, and they looked to each other and grinned.

They were terrible, ugly grins and she almost puked.

She smiled, and with a beckoning wave her hand, they followed after her.

Then, all three things happened at once.

The boy in the forest watched as the police stopped to inspect the boulders blocking their path. Not wasting a single moment, he sneaked himself to the vehicle and began pulling out pouches of gasoline from his jacket. After emptying the contents into the trunk, he lit a match and threw it inside. The roar of the flames caught the police's attention.

While the boy fled, the officers panicked and rushed back to the vehicle.

The jeep exploded.

The man back at the police station broke out of his timid, submissive act. With the key that none of them knew he had, he unlocked his handcuffs and fled, only stopping to thwart the ones in his way. He stole a gun from the one guarding outside and shot once.

He didn't look back to see where the bullet landed. His aim was precise, and he already knew where it hit.

Back at the carnival, the cotton candy woman grew anxious as she tried to "work out" a deal with the men. She had tolerated their stares and drooling mouths but time was almost up. She hoped he was okay, and she hoped he would be here soon.

She had no reason to worry, however. In a rush of less than a minute, there were two incapacitated officers lying on the floor and a grinning, bloody-mouthed man standing before her.

He nodded. "We have successfully terrorized all forces in the area, Sakura. Well, if the Konohamaru did his part right."

She tried not to show it, but her expression softened considerably. "I'll fix your face when we get home, Naruto."

* * *

The first thing anyone ever noticed about Ino Yamanaka was her hair.

It was the longest, silkiest, most perfect hair in the entire country, and most would agree as well. It was a beautiful, silvery platinum blonde that almost reached her knees. After they noticed this, their gaze was inevitably drawn to her eyes.

Her eyes looked like the bottom of the ocean, which was somehow surprising to most. They were expecting something pure, crystal clear, like the color of ice when the sun shined on it.

Even the rower of the boat often turned every so often to catch a glimpse of her. Ino sat in perfect stature with a bright lavender dress fanning around her feet, wide blue eyes examining the world around her.

Much to her interest, a dark-brown vulture descended and landed upon the rim of the small boat, letting out a mighty crow. It was rather rare for even a small bird to come so low, let alone such a big bird as this one. Unfortunately, Ino didn't have much time to ponder it.

A boat close to six times the size of theirs came into view from the opposite side, blocking the sun. When the warmth left her face, Ino squinted to find the source.

The sight was incredible in the strangest of ways. A man's silhouette appeared from the upper main deck, back upright and arms crossed in a display of audacity. She tried to catch his expression, but the closer they sailed, the darker the shadow cast upon him grew.

"Ma'am!" The rower cried, snapping her out of her reverie. "It doesn't look like they're going to stop!"

Ino's curious look darkened upon the sight for which she found herself lost for words. It was drawing closer and closer upon them. She froze out of fear, but more than that, the overpowering shock was what took her. She could only watch helplessly as the man in front of her yelled at them to stop, to don't come any closer.

Her mind began to stray, stray so far away from reality that the silent ringing of her ears had drowned out the man's shouts. Just when she was about to become estranged completely, the shadow of the ship descended upon her face, and she finally felt the fear of reality strike her. Her eyes widened, trembling, but it was too late.

The boats collided - and she remembers the terrifying crack of wood beneath her, the feeling of being plunged in liquid ice, and her brain numbing with shock. The pain was too intense to be felt, and for that, she almost forgot to be grateful.

It was too overwhelming. Her eyes were open beneath the water, which made them seem closer to that ideal shade of crystal ice. She thought that there were people swimming towards her, but she wasn't looking.

She was looking at the sun; at a man whose expression was obscured by shadows. She couldn't tell which one she was looking at, and the more she tried the more they seemed to blur together, until his face was shining sunset yellow _burning_.

Then, blackness made everything else fade away.


	2. set it on fire

**notes; **this one was pretty long. abnormally long. this trend could possibly continue if someoneeee reviewed! feedback would be appreciated and HELPFUL.

2\. — set it on fire

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His men looked stick to their stomach at the sight. He couldn't blame them, though, they were young and inexperienced. Of course the sight of humans blown to bits, to bones and flesh would make them sick.

Nonetheless, they tried not to show this to their superior.

He surveyed the forest life around him as the other officers worked on damage control, pondering something to himself. Many of them wondered how he was able to keep such a cool head at a time like this, and he had to suppress a smirk at the thought. He was anything but a collected person.

He just had experience.

A vulture soaring overhead caught his eye. In the midst of the olive green leaves towering above their heads, the lone dark-brown bird flew, scaring all of the smaller robins away.

He continued to stare at the spot where the bird had landed, staring and staring like it would give him _answers._

"_Sir_," his voice transceiver rung.

He answered. "What is it, Takeshi."

"_Um, S-Sir... I'm not sure how to say this..."_

"What?"

"_Well, most of our officers had been assaulted in one way in the other, so... we don't think this is a coincidence, but..."_

"Spit it out."

"_Mr. Suigetsu... we think Inuzuka kidnapped your fiancé, Ms. Yamanaka."_

* * *

Ino slipped in and out of consciousness. She whimpered in discomfort, turning back and forth before realizing her stomach was killing her. Her eyes snapped open, and she got sick over the side of the boat.

"Oh no," a woman said. Ino tried to find the source, but then it hit her that she had been blindfolded.

The same woman stood up and gazed into the water, watching the chunky vomit slowly sink into the water. She briefly wondered what she had for lunch. She looked to her seatmate, who seemed to be sharing the same thoughts judging by his greening face. The last person on board didn't have much to say.

"Wh-Who's there!?" Ino summoned all her strength to sit upright, barely registering the fact that her hands had been tied behind her back.

The woman uttered a sympathetic sigh. "I would offer you some of my sugarcane, but I don't think you would want any right now..." Ino heard the sound of teeth crunching.

"Who's there?" Ino repeated, panic edging its way into her voice. "_Who are you_?"

"W-We can't answer that yet, M—"

The man next to her elbowed her. "Don't get involved, Hinata."

She seemed torn. "But, Shino..." If possible, her voice became more timid.

Ino ignored the exchange, sensing there was another person there with them. She had a feeling she knew who it was.

"Tell me _now_!" Ino screamed, and both Hinata and Shino flinched at the noise.

It was a desperate scream, unnerving in a way that they couldn't explain.

Silence rung through the air in the seconds that followed.

Ino was shaking, anger and fear blurring together as she whispered once more, "Who are you."

Hinata and Shino both wore dubious expressions as they turned to Kiba, who was rowing. He felt their gaze before growling and heaving a sigh of exhaustion. Placing the paddle down, he turned around and knelt down next to Ino, eyes narrowed in an unfriendly glare.

Ino sensed that he was near him underneath her black blindfold, and immediately leaned forward so that their foreheads collided with a loud _bump_. Hinata gasped, Kiba seemed unaffected with his glare still in place, and Shino seemed just a tiny bit amused.

Ino felt a shiver run down her spine.

"You're _cowards_, all of you!" Ino exclaimed, teeth gritting as she struggled with her confinements. "How could you all gang up on me at once, and not give me a chance to fight back?!"

No one spoke. "I'm _not_ scared," she said.

"_Jayam ondu bayam illai, maghane, intha jenmathilae, vidinthulae ondu! Bayam ondu. Bakthi ennale!_" Ino cried fiercely, once again struggling to free herself. Hinata and Shino watched on in apparent befuddlement and interest.

And Ino froze, her biggest surprise coming when she felt that man come close, while his breath ghosted her face.

"_Jayam ondu bayam illai maname_!" Kiba barked back, startling everyone. He picked up his staff and aimed it an inch away from her forehead. "_Bakthi. Bakthi. Bakthi. Bakthi."_

Ino shook her head, pupils constricted in utter bewilderment and fear. How could this man understand what she was saying, how could he know, how did he know, how did he know _how did he know_—

"This is wrong," Ino said again, voice raspy and desperate for a reason she didn't understand. Her eyes were filled with _something_, face twisted between fear and intrepidity as she continued, "You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong—"

He bore his teeth at her, clearly irritated by her continued frantic murmuring. He glared silently for a few moments, watching as Ino repeated herself over and over in a panicked state, right at the edge of sanity.

He decided it made him sick.

"_Bakthi_," Kiba said one last time, and the staff in his hand pushed her into the water.

She screamed again. Ino flailed and gurgled desperately, unable to swim or stay afloat with her constricted hands and current blindness.

"Kiba!" Hinata burst in alarm, sending him a panicked glance. "She'll die!"

Kiba shook his head, watching Ino intently. "She won't. There's still a day until we hammer the nails in her coffin." He added with a crazed laugh, "Let her swim some more!"

Next to him, Shino shook his head disbelievingly. Kiba had never made sense up until now, so what was the point? He dove in after Ino, and Hinata hesitated before doing the same.

* * *

Around the golden hours of sunset, the crickets began to chirp. Another police jeep pulled into the outskirts of the city, but wisely chose to take the noncommercial route inside. They could not afford a repeat of last time.

"Hey, Sui," Karin said. She elbowed Suigetsu, who was sitting in the shotgun seat of the car. He had seemed distant the whole evening, though it wouldn't take a genius to figure out why. "There's someone blocking the gate.

He still seemed out of it, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. She just hoped after this mess was over, she'd be getting a raise and a promotion. Criminal affairs were _not _her division. She rolled down the window, snapping to try and get the man's attention.

"Hey, you! Get out of the way." Karin held out her identification, waving it in the air.

He made a noncommittal grunt before rolling over in his spot on the ground, waving a hand at them to shoo.

"This _dick_," Karin hissed, immediately stepping out of the vehicle to slam the door shut. "I don't know who you think you are," she said as she stalked down the pavement towards him with growing malice in every step.

"Urgh," the man muttered, eyes scrunching from the flashlight Karin shined on him.

"That's a police jeep. If you haven't put two and two together yet, feel free to do so _now_," Karin growled. She didn't have the patience to deal with these things, as her fellow officers were beginning to discover.

"I live here," the man suddenly explained. "My name is Sai, and I live in these woods. Are you sure you want me to go?" His smile was somehow fake and amused at the same time.

"What?" Karin gawked. "What are you…"

He stood up suddenly, catching Karin off-guard. "But you can't have my services for free. Catch this." Sai threw a discarded wine bottle at her, and Karin's knee-jerk reaction to catch it cost her dearly. Sai snatched the gun in her hand the second she dropped it, and he was off.

"What the _fuck_!?" she cursed, glaring open-mouthed at the empty space before her. In an instant, the remaining unit filed out of the vehicles, armed and searching for the elusive man, who jumped tree to tree like it was nobody's business.

As the search went on, they failed to notice him drop down behind them. Sai snuck up to one of the cars, attempting to put the gun that he never wanted back. He had only wanted to mess with them, and he did not really want their trouble.

Sai halted, however, when he felt an ominous presence standing behind him. He turned slowly, shock registering on his face at his visitor. Suigetsu stood there with an emotionless face as he snatched the gun from Sai, who didn't resist at all.

"You're Sai." Suigetsu said it as a fact.

He nodded. "Affirmative."

"You're a forest guard, right?"

"For eighteen years."

His tone remained flat as Suigetsu continued, "I've heard good things about you. Are you familiar with these woods? Or are you more familiar with that ever-growing wine bottle collection?"

Sai didn't speak for a moment, but his motionless face kept his thoughts obscured.

"Is that why you're playing devil's advocate?" Suigetsu pressed on. "Or did someone tell you to."

Sai shook his head, apparently perturbed by the barrage of questions. "I can escort you safely, if that is what you wish."

Suigetsu raised an eyebrow, and Sai realized that he was suspicious and cracked a smile.

"There is no need to be distrustful. We both work for the government, after all."

* * *

"Suigestu, I don't trust him."

Karin was not happy with the turn-out of events, as evidenced by her crossed arms and indignant expression.

"You _saw_ what he did," she added.

And as usual, Suigetsu did not seem to care. He focused on driving, while Karin continued to chide him endlessly for his choices.

"I don't trust _you_." Sai was riding on top of the vehicle, and he hung upside down in front of the open window next to Karin, much to her disdain. "All you do is yell all the time, Four Eyes. You even let yourself be incapacitated by me."

"And who the _fuck_'s fault was that!?" Karin shot back instantly at his upside-down face. The jibe earned her one of his infamous plastic smiles. At that, she scoffed and turned her head. "I just know you're one of _them_."

* * *

While Karin and Sai continued to squabble, Suigetsu drifted further away from reality. He channeled his thought into focus, eyes glaring straight ahead from behind the steering wheel.

Inuzuka. He was born in Konoha twenty-six years ago. Every single town in the country had an FRI filed against him. In total, there were forty three unsolved cases. It wasn't just him – other names sometimes jumped out of the fray. Uzumaki, Haruno, Hyuuga. They all worked as one stable unit.

Though these names were there, Inuzuka was most commonly out there doing the dirty work, and thus his name was the most well-known. He had never seen him in person, and that did make Suigetsu wonder why he felt like he knew him so well. He'd been dispatched to Konoha for the very reason of pinpointing him, so of course it caused a burning wrath in his gut that he was the first to be indirectly attacked.

"Why don't you just shoot him and get it over with?" Ino had suggested. She tied her long, blonde hair up in a high ponytail before joining the table with him and Karin. "Isn't that why we pay you all?"

Karin laughed dryly. "If only it were that easy. If the Deputy Commissioner of police couldn't handle it, you can imagine how it is for the rest of us."

Suigetsu's expression hadn't changed, but his fist visibly clenched.

He was filled with the urge to find Inuzuka and punch him until his uniform stained red. From that moment onward, he was filled with inexplicable bloodlust.

Of course, there was Aburame and Hyuuga. They were his allies and most likely close friends, though there wasn't exactly proof of that. They were better at keeping their cover than their canine team member was.

There was also another that stood out – Konohamaru. He was still young, and had managed to get a high school education out of the city anonymously. They saw him very rarely. He was more of a messenger, if anything.

If any of their people were hurt by the police, the retaliation would occur in less than a day. Suigetsu remembered coming home to an explosion on his doorstep after an arrest. There was no way to control it – there were simply too many people manipulating too many things unexpectedly. They were like a well-oiled machine.

He figured Inuzuka must be some kind of leader figure to the tribe. Though with leadership like his, fear was sure to accompany it. Half the people hailed them as heroes, and the other half was scared of them. Suigetsu, however, didn't have a doubt in his mind as to how he felt about that wretched man.

By the law, he was a criminal, and criminals deserved to be punished.

Suigetsu had him close, but he had easily slipped away from his grasp at the last second. But he wouldn't let that happen again. This time, he would entrap him unquestionably.

_Be strong, Ino. I won't leave without ending him. _

And then, he began dreaming of red. A red sky, a red river, and a red forest – stained with the blood of Inuzuka. This deep-rooted desire tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Rather than a desire, it was an urge – an urge to see his insides spattered on the ground.

Red had always been his favorite color, and sometimes he dreamed that he drowned in it.

* * *

"Sir." Sai bent down again, this time on Suigetsu's side. "Stop the jeep," he said. "This is very important."

Suigetsu seemed irritated, but he commanded all of the other following vehicles to stop as well. Sai carefully lowered himself onto the ground, taking care not to make a noise.

"You can't just listen with your eyes," he explained. And without so much as a beckoning hand, he grabbed his backpack and headed east. Everyone followed him, anyway.

Karin fell back to catch up with someone else, not in the mood to walk with Suigetsu, who had clearly not been himself lately. Soon she was walking aside Juugo, who didn't question her for a few moments until he realized she was sticking with him.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, I'll be honest – Suigetsu's acting weird and there's no way I'm going to be around _Sai_, so that's why I'm chilling with you right now."

"Ever consider Suigetsu might be in mourning?"

Karin's eyes widened, seemingly a bit shaken, but she shook her head dismissively. "Why would he? I mean, he's… distraught, yes, but we all know we're going to find his precious fiancé unharmed."

"I wouldn't say that's the case," Juugo replied. "They've done terrible things in the past. For all we know, Yamanaka could be dead."

Karin took a moment to process that, the severity of the situation finally hitting her. Maybe she should have been more considerate of Suigetsu –

"There!"

One of the officers pointed a trembling finger upwards, and their gazes followed to the disturbing sight of a man gagged tied up to the bamboo tree. Much to Karin's surprise, Sai was the one who sidestepped while Suigetsu waded through the rest of the rest of the waist-deep muddy water to reach him first.

"Who did this to you?" Suigetsu inquired with a sense of urgency, grasping the man's chin and shaking him. He responded by coughing and spluttering. "Someone bring water!"

"He… he said you would come to untie me," the middle-aged man rasped. Suigetsu fed him the water messily, still focusing on him intently. "He said don't waste time, to… change the direction you're hreading."

Karin suddenly appeared next to him, starting to cut at the ropes that bound him.

"Wait," Suigetsu ordered. "Did you see her?" When he didn't respond, he fed him more water. "Did she look okay?" More water. "Was she hurt?" Suigetsu tipped the bottle too fast, and suddenly the man was coughing, releasing a spray of liquid over his face.

Once more, he asked, "Was she crying?"

* * *

The next time Ino woke up, she didn't feel nauseous. She felt weak, like the life had been sapped out of her veins, and all that was left was her bones. She summoned great energy just to open her eyes, and the sight that first greeted her was none other than him.

It looked heroic from her angle. She was laying stomach-down, about ten feet into a cave. Her cheek rested on the slick rainwater floor while she looked to the entrance. Kiba's silhouette stood there with something that looked like a cape billowing in the breeze.

She lied there for a few long moments, just watching him, mind empty of thoughts, as she was too exhausted to summon them. She observed another familiar person walk up to him – she thought his name was Shinji, or something similar. She remembered his peculiar sunglasses.

Her hazy thoughts grew alert in the next instant as she noticed the outline of a gun. Shino handed it to him, talking about something that she couldn't hear. Kiba turned around to look at her.

And before Ino could even process her next move, it was too late. There were five people around her who began to untie her from the boulder rooting her to the floor. As soon as she was free, she kicked and screamed and resisted, but it was useless. Being outnumbered meant being overpowered.

"Someone blindfold her," said the one with twin buns.

"I've got it." A cotton candy-haired lady sprung forward, and Ino felt herself go blind once again. In frustration and agony that this was happening again, she let out a louder scream.

"_Let go of me!_"

"Wow. Maybe I should stuff something in her mouth, too. What do you think, Tenten?"

Tenten didn't wait for a response. She bunched up a cloth and shoved it right in there, softening Ino's frenzied screams. They exchanged a foreboding look before the others told them to hurry.

Ino continued to struggle and scream as she was carried outside.

"Good God, maybe this wasn't a good idea."

"You think?"

"Okay, let's everybody chill and leave this. This isn't our business."

"Right…"

The voices ceased to be heard after Ino was finally released onto the ground. She panted in exhaustion, realizing all the screaming had made her throat sore. She didn't let her guard down, though. She knew it was far from over. She had known that since she heard the first thing _he _said to her.

There was a gust blowing through as she attempted to catch her breath, causing stray leaves to brush past her face. She shivered. She realized something was terribly wrong – the atmosphere of the situation was much worse than when she was in the boat.

Then, the ties came off.

Ino gasped for air, blinking to get the dirt out of her eyes. She was surrounded by woodland everywhere she could see, and they were at the top of a cliff. Ino shakily stood, and looking below, she found that a jump would certainly be fatal. There were jagged rocks at the bottom of the waterfall to assure that.

Then, she saw Kiba with a gun in his hand.

She watched in disbelief as he walked closer, cocking the gun to make that oh-so-dooming _click-click_.

The words were out before she could stop them. "Who are you to take away my life," she said. The words were brave, but no longer loud. Her voice was merely a whisper.

"You're… you're not…" Ino's voice was despairing. "You don't have that right. You shouldn't have dragged me into this mess, because I'm not – I'm not –"

"Shut _up_!" Kiba snarled, finally responding. He seemed startled by the volume of his own voice as his hand flew to clutch the side of his neck.

Ino's eyes were wide once again, reflecting the skies. She didn't let him stop her. "My life is mine. You aren't –"

Kiba exhaled loudly, shaking his head. "Stop already, would you? I have enough voices in my head as it is. You know what they're saying, don't you?

Kiba, what are you even thinking about! BOOM, get it done and over with! Just shoot the bitch right in her fucking head!"

"I won't die!" Ino cried.

"Just kill her," Kiba continued. "Let her precious fiancé and the whole world know about it."

"You're not killing me."

He shot the gun skywards once, twice, thrice. "A question on one side, and answer on the other. Revenge, forgiveness, grief, guilt, all of it!"

His breathing had become labored. Kiba's sharp eyes pierced into her own, and this unknowingly made her stagger. Ino shook her head, backing away from him.

"You can't do it."

"Don't make your final moments miserable."

"I'm not dying."

"There's only one outcome, don't kid yourself into –"

"I'm _not_ dying because of you!"

Kiba would never forgive himself because of what he did in that next moment. He stood like a statue, unable to move in a brain-numbing bewilderment. It was something he'd never witnessed in his entire life, and it shook him in the sleepless nights to follow. What he saw wasn't courage – it was _fearlessness_.

Without looking back once, Ino Yamanaka jumped.


	3. to be breathless

**notes: **thanks for the favorites/follows! can i get a review, tho. srsly pls. i have no idea what people think of this story. i'm gonna make these chapters short until someone tells me not to.

3\. — to be breathless

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He felt something sink in his stomach.

For what felt like an eternity, his mind was empty. Kiba couldn't think or move or blink because it didn't make sense, nothing made sense; she jumped and she fell and he _saw_ her.

And then he blinked, reminding himself to breathe, for his heart to beat, and for his limbs to respond.

Luckily, a distant common sense kicked in, and he realized he would have to find her either way. He began scaling down the side of the cliff, using the vines and ledges to lower himself a hundred feet to the ground. He stepped in the water immediately, wading out to the middle of the river to gain a better view.

He inhaled deeply, and recognized a scent.

Ino had been caught on the branch of a tree. She lied on the thickest branch, which was teetering this way and that way by the sway of the wind. There were marks and scratches all over her body, and her long dress had been torn up pretty badly. But in the face of that, it was a miracle. If Ino fell from that height, the river would catch her and it would not be fatal.

Still in a disbelieving state of white noise and silence, Kiba waded over, watching as the branch cracked and the unconscious Ino fell gracefully into the water. It was shallow enough to keep her afloat, so Kiba took a moment to stare and wonder if this was all still real.

Her face was half above the water, and her mascara was beginning to smear underneath her eyes. The rest of her face was clean, and her long hair formed a halo around her head in the water. He wondered why she possessed beauty even in the moments close to death.

She awoke, her first exhale creating a bubble in the water. Her eyes opened, and the first thing she saw was Kiba, who was crouching to look directly across from her. She noticed him more this time. She noticed red marks under his beady eyes, and an old bandage on the side of his neck. She noticed his grim, frowning expression.

"Agh," Ino breathed, pulling herself from the gravity of the water. She managed to get on all fours, but that in itself was a feat; she was breathing hard. Her eyes began stinging.

_No. I held it back for this long. _

She had come this far, only to be entrenched in the same fate. Kiba's face was now a constant, grim reminder of that. She bit her lip, barely keeping back the shuddering sobs.

Kiba's frown deepened. "Look, we're going. Quit crying."

"_I'm not_," Ino interjected shakily.

"I _told _you to quit crying," Kiba repeated, his malice matching hers. "Get up."

"You're pathetic; you're despicable. You brought me into something I had nothing to _do _with, you _fucking_ asshole!"

The infamous amused grin rose on Kiba's face after that remark. "Incredible. These are empty words, coming from someone who clearly doesn't know anything." He laughed. "Hey, you stopped crying. Cursing, I can deal with – but I've never known what do around a crying woman."

Kiba stood, and offered a hand. Ino did not take it.

* * *

Ino walked for the first couple of minutes in silence. She was struggling to keep up with her torn dress, as it often caught in the rocks. She also just wasn't in a state to be walking, but something told Kiba she wouldn't accept his hand the second time.

"Wait," he told her. He ventured out to the side of the cliffs, stopping at the base of a tree. He snapped off a thick, four-foot-long branch and brought it back to her. "Hold it."

Ino seemed confused, but she grabbed hold of the other end. Kiba held the other end and began walking again. She didn't say anything, so neither did he. He led her with the branch, and they walked through rapids and rocks and tiny fish. When they reached the cliff-side, they started to climb. Ino struggled compared to Kiba, who effortlessly scaled his way up from years and years of experience and technique. She, on the other hand, tried not to cry when she slipped for the tenth time.'

When darkness approached, they took refuge in a cave. Kiba lit a fire, which Ino promptly hogged. By an act of kindness that surprised her, he left her alone with the warmth, deciding to keep watch from a distance. Ino didn't have much time to contemplate the decision; she was too preoccupied with trying to make her skin not feel numb. She shivered and huddled as close as she could to the orange-yellow flames, with Kiba glancing over every so often.

When it was morning, they began traveling again. Ino walked a small distance ahead of him, and Kiba let her. He was beginning to understand Ino more and more by the minute. Her long hair was loose, and still slightly damp from the night before. When the wind rushed by, her hair would brush his face. It smelled more like the rich mud of the earth than the artificial perfume it was when he first saw her. He almost smiled.

Ino told him she had to "you know" and Kiba let her. When she came back, she splashed her face with pond water and took deep shuttering breaths, trying to regain her strength. Kiba heard, and he was compelled to speak for the first time. He snapped his fingers to grasp her attention, and she flinched.

"My dog won't even _look _over the edge of that cliff. Why did you _look _and then jump?" Kiba inquired, torn between amusement and genuine curiosity.

Ino was clearly irritated, sensing the condescension in his tone. He was implying she was a reckless idiot. "Why did you save me?" she shot back. Her tone was sharp, but her lips quivered when she turned to face away from him.

Kiba smirked before shifting in front of her so he could see her face. She was still looking down. "I didn't," he said.

"Then why did you try to kill me."

"Because it was my destiny. At least, according to Neji. Then some idiot went and erased my prophecy."

Ino brought herself to laugh. It was an empty, half-crazed laughter. She couldn't believe him. "It was me, because I jumped. That idiot was me, and I'm rewriting it now: _your _death will be by _my _hands. And I'm not erasing that one."

When Kiba laughed that time, it was real. It made Ino feel disturbed.

"That actually sounds fantastic."

* * *

The next day, Kiba led the way. When Ino left for another "you know" (except she didn't say it this time, she just glared at him until he got it) and she was taking a while, he lit another fire. He had been bearing the cold for this long, but he swore his fingers were starting to freeze. He warmed himself quietly in the time that passed, only ceasing movement when Ino emerged from shrubs. He immediately up and left, and Ino gratefully took his spot.

Ino didn't remember falling asleep, but when she woke up her back was sore from sleeping on rock. Her eyes probed around frantically for a moment, and she wondered if – no, Kiba was still there. He slept across from her, motionless with his eyes gently shut.

Her eyes widened.

* * *

When Kiba woke up, she was gone.

Ino was running, frantically brushing her long hair out of her eyes every time she looked back. She ran and ran, barely managing to avoid stumbling and tripping at that pace with her pretty, long dress.

She stumbled upon a clearing, into the sunlight, and she breathed in relief. She stood, hands on her knees as she caught her breath, oblivious to the sound of footsteps treading on dirt.

_Click-Click._

A chill ran down her spine, and goosebumps prickled her arms. She turned around, and she found his silhouette again. She was exposed by the sun, and he was obscured by shadows. He was pointing the gun towards her.

Ino felt hot tears run down her face. She had made a mistake.

Kiba shot the gun, but he wasn't aiming at her. It was skywards: once, twice, thrice.

Ino shrieked, flinching from the noise. Her arms were raised protectively, and it took her a moment to realize that no blood had been shed. When she opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by people.

"Kiba!" one of them shouted. "Why did it take so long?"


	4. like bamboo under nails

**notes: **i'm back! this chapter is a bit long because i tried to include some back-story to explain the direction the story is going a little more. good vs. evil will be a prevalent theme. REALLY appreciate the reviews, in fact i clambered right out of bed to grab my laptop and write this once i saw them! if you have any questions feel free to ask, and i will reply! again, please drop by a review! :) (there also might be mistakes since i wrote this so quickly. feel free to point them out!)

4\. — like bamboo under nails

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"Are Sakura and Tenten still there?" Naruto asked, struggling to keep up with Kiba's hasty stride.

"Probably," he answered. "They should be coming here soon, though."

"Well, they should hurry. This bastard's worrying the hell out of their disappearance." He pointed at Sasuke, who instantly glared at him.

"Oh, my bad," Naruto said. "That bastard too." He pointed at Neji this time, who was luckily too far to hear him.

"A-huh," Kiba nodded absentmindedly.

Naruto frowned. "Kiba, what's up?"

Kiba shook his head a little, trying to regain his senses. "Yeah, sorry, man. I'm fine. Just… tired, I guess." He patted Naruto's shoulder and moved on, leaving the blonde behind with lingering confusion.

"That makes no sense," Naruto mumbled to himself. "He's gone on ten-day missions without getting tired before. He's the only person whose stamina even _rivals _mine."

Sasuke stood up, kicking Naruto's ankle lightly.

"Don't be so sure about that."

* * *

Konohmaru's team was lined up outside the nearly-deserted hut near the closed window, peeking in through the tiny crevices to catch a glimpse of the kidnapped police officer's wife.

"She's kinda pretty, yeah?" Konohamaru said, jaw slightly open at the sight of Ino's hair glinting in the small streams of sunlight that came in through the poorly-patched roof.

"Sure is," Udon agreed with a boyish giggle. Moegi elbowed them both, but before Konohmaru's "Are you jealous?" retort could even spill out of his mouth, she dragged them both away.

"What's the big idea?" Konohomaru spat, though he submissively followed her.

Moegi looked back again, eyes filled with apprehension.

"I think they're going to go in and talk to her now."

Konohomaru and Udon exchanged glances.

* * *

Kiba had escaped to the pathway surrounding the rapids. The area was for laundry, and his clothes were begging for a wash from the past few days' travel. He normally wouldn't care, but he felt he had to distract himself.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening. Hinata and Shino joined him, later followed by Naruto and Sasuke.

"I think I get it now, Kiba," Naruto proclaimed as he gently plopped down on the same boulder as Kiba. He grinned, leaning over to watch Kiba's semi-concentrated face as he hand-washed his shirt in the running water.

"Get what?"

Sasuke replied for him, "We think we know why you let her live. One shot would've killed her instantly, a case would be filed, and one of us could serve the two years' jail time. The problem would have been solved."

"_But_," Naruto cut in, annoyed that Sasuke had spoken for him, "You have a plan, and that's why you let her go."

Kiba froze, instantly frowning. He turned to Naruto this time, making eye contact. "And what's that?"

"Isn't it obvious? Don't play dumb, Kiba." Naruto was proud of sounding smart and foreseeing the events for once, and he didn't want Kiba ruining it.

Shino spoke up this time. "In fourteen hours since her disappearance, Suigetsu panics and brings in seven police vans including himself to form a search party. If we drag this out for another two weeks, imagine how he would react."

Kiba's frown suddenly turned into a very pensive look, as if he was realizing something.

"He'd lose his frickin' mind," Naruto said, leaning back in satisfaction.

There was a silence amongst the group. Sasuke, Naruto, and Shino had said everything they had wanted to say. Hinata had listened to everything there was to say.

And then, Kiba spoke. "I had gun in my hand. She's gonna die in like, one minute. And she's… God, she's standing there without an ounce of fear in her eyes."

None of them spoke when Kiba paused to exhale, who was seemingly shaken.

"She isn't even scared of a _hundred foot _drop! I'm…just, I was speechless when it happened. There are all these thoughts running through my head, but there's still one question I keep thinking about.

How do you kill someone who isn't afraid of death?"

The question rung through the air, and no one had answers. Kiba turned to Naruto, gazing at him intensely. "If you were in my shoes, would you have done it?"

Naruto stared, opening his mouth though no words came out.

"How is that even a question," Sasuke almost scoffed. "Not a second thought would've passed through my mind."

Kiba bared his teeth at him. "That's why I asked Naruto, not you, you asshole. Shut it."

Naruto shook his head. "Don't ask me stuff like that. This has to do with you, not me. I don't have the same feelings as you do on this. And you _know _I don't like these kinds of missions. Ask me to kidnap someone, I'll do it. Ask me to bring down an enemy within inches of death, I bet I could do it. But just… don't ask me that."

Hinata gasped softly at the confession, clasping both of her hands together. It went unnoticed by Kiba and Naruto, but Sasuke and Shino easily picked up on it.

"K-Kiba," she said, finally gaining everyone's attention. "E-Everything he said was… was right. We're here in this to support you. We can't do what you're supposed to do. I thought Neji told you that."

Hinata gave him one last meaningful look before gathering her things and leaving. Naruto looked after her, jaw agape.

"She fucking gets it," Naruto said.

Sasuke and Shino both looked at him.

"What?" Naruto asked obliviously.

And Kiba had fallen back into the cave of his thoughts.

* * *

"Hey, this isn't a circus! Get out of here!"

Some of the other kids who had made the mistake of spying on Ino were once again shooed away, but this time it was by Sakura. She had just arrived, with Tenten immediately heading straight to the baths, which left her to herself.

"Hey," Sakura said, smiling weakly as Naruto and Sasuke approached her.

"Sakuraaaaa!" Naruto dove in for a hug, not caring if his shirt got dirty again.

"Hey yourself," Sasuke deadpanned. "That took you a little longer than usual."

Sakura shrugged. "Well, that girl is a feisty one. Plus, we had to but distance behind Kiba so we wouldn't be tracked."

"Heh, you're right about that," Naruto said once he pulled back. "Everyone's dying to see her," he added, pointing a hand at the old hut.

"No one's seen her yet?" Sakura remarked, eyes widening in surprise.

Naruto shook his head. "Well, no. Kiba hasn't gone in there yet, so I guess…"

"Are you serious?" Sakura said disbelievingly. "So none of you have fed her? God, I'm gone for an hour and look at you guys. What's everyone else doing?"

Naruto blinked. "Uh… stuff. Everyone's busy in one way or the other. Remember, this is Kiba's thing. We're just helpin' him out."

"Tch," came Sasuke's ever-present tick. "There's rice out back. We ran out of instant ramen thanks to this guy. Tell Konohomaru to get some more next time we move."

"Done and done." Sakura smiled cheerfully at her boys. "Thanks! Also, you really ought to take baths." She pinched both of their cheeks before moving on.

Naruto gaped, and Sasuke merely looked after her with an unimpressed eye-roll.

"And why is _she _telling _us _that?"

* * *

Sakura walked inside to a scene she wasn't expecting. From what she remembered, Ino was damn fierce. She hated being told what to do and she held onto her pride like anything. It was more important than even death, apparently.

Ino's hands were tied to a pillar, and she was desperately stretching near a spile, mouth wide open underneath to catch the small drops of water that leaked out.

"There aren't any dresses around here," Sakura said casually as she walked inside. Ino retreated hastily, trying to assume a normal position. "I've got a t-shirt and shorts in my size, and I'm pretty sure you'll fit." She almost chuckled at the thought of Ino being insecure about her size. Her waist was an ideal "model" size. Well, what her world considered ideal anyway.

Ino simply glared.

Sakura raised her hands defensively. "I wasn't laughing at you or anything! Didn't expect you to laugh, anyway. If you don't experience fear, how could you experience humor?"

Ino swallowed, glare still in place as she determinedly didn't respond. Sakura sighed and placed the clothes on the ground next to her.

"Here," Sakura said, holding out a plate. "It's just steamed rice, but it's the best we've got for now. I hope you can shelf your pride for a while to have a bite…"

This got a reaction. Ino felt the anger flare within her as she lunged forward, trying to knock the plate from her hands onto the ground.

"Hey, whoa!" Sakura yelped, backing away. "What are you doing?"

"What are _you _doing? You think I'm some kind of pet to tie up and feed and keep helpless?" Ino's voice was hoarse from yelling, and Sakura flinched. "Throw it away!"

"You know, like I said, your pride isn't the most important thing right now," Sakura scolded, now irritated herself. "There are times we struggle for food, and you're here telling me to throw it away?! What kind of attitude is that?"

"You _kidnapped _me," Ino spat in retaliation.

Sakura sighed angrily, setting the plate down too. She stomped over to the pillar and with a slice of her kunai, the ropes came undone. Ino gasped as she finally found herself free, taking deep breaths after being constrained for so long.

She faced Ino again. "Eat if you're hungry. Leave it alone if you're stupid. I can't control what you do, but –"

Sakura was cut off mid-sentence, heaving a slight gasp as Ino knelt down immediately, picking up the plate and gingerly scooping the steaming rice to her mouth.

She found herself smiling. She knelt down next to her, watching. "How is it? I salted it for you." Ino kept eating, but only in small bites. It was funny to watch because it was obvious she was restraining herself from forking it down.

Sakura laughed. "You're going to have to put your survival first for the next couple days, girl."

* * *

He was finally alone from everyone else. It was in the early hours of the morning, and the rapids tended to be calmed at that time. It ran smoothly in gentle waves. There was a small fire cackling in the background. It was peaceful but it was also lively. He felt his inner tensions loosen, and his thoughts and voices began to unload.

The first image was of Ino. Ino, screaming as gravity seized her and pulled her down, and her lavender dress inverting around her. He felt his frown and the tension in his eyebrow slowly melt away. He felt himself smiling.

The next image was of Ino, too. She was passed out on the branch, her face serene and her long hair flowing underneath her. As the branch cracked, he could vividly see her fall. She was lying down as if she was in her safe bedroom at home, not even flinching when she splashed into the water stomach first.

And then he realized, all of those other thoughts were of her too. He saw her bursting out of the water, eyes clenched as she coughed up seawater in disgust.

Suddenly, he knew why that woman was engaged to a man like Suigetsu. The reason made him want to scream, but it also made him want to laugh, and be strangely proud, and also to be utterly disgusted.

With brave intentions filled in his gut, a final chuckle escaped his lips as he fired the last three bullets of his gun to the heavens: once, twice, thrice.

* * *

He was in the middle of shaving when he heard the noise.

"Sir!" Sai was the first to meet him outside of the tent while the others were slowly being aroused from their sleep.

"It was a pistol shot," Suigetsu said, still wiping the shaving cream off of his face.

Sai frowned, trying to remember the noise. "That it was."

Suigetsu began moving faster, washing the rest of his face as he began stalking towards one of the vans. "Get Karin," he said flatly. "They're trying to show us where they are."

Sai didn't listen, though. He held up a hand, motioning Suigetsu to stop for a moment. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

A rustling sound was heard, and the trees in front of them shook from the presence of someone else.

"We may not have to go far." Sai smiled in plastic.

* * *

There were lots of them. They were in camouflage, green and brown paints smeared over their eyelids and lips as they stared silently at the man that walked up to them.

"Police," Karin explained. "Tell us everything you know."

Suigetsu wordlessly pulled out two small photographs from his jacket. He showed them the first one, which was a picture of Ino's beautiful, smiling face.

They did not respond.

Suigetsu, then knowingly, slowly slid the picture aside to show the second one. It was Kiba's profile, with a nefarious grin plastered on his face. The leading man seemed emotionless once again, but Suigetsu sensed the imperceptible change that most couldn't. His eye twitched, and Suigetsu's own eyes widened.

And then, they attacked.

He had a face full of mud in the next instant, as many of the others did. They began to flee, but he would not let them.

"Karin!" he shouted. "Get the rest of the men and pin down as many as you can! _Naane leader ah muduchidren!_"

The next few moments were a blurry haze for most of them, but Suigetsu had a tendency to gain tunnel vision when he was really focused and willing. He saw nothing but the leader he wished to capture, and he began to barrel towards him at full speed in the midst of all the other chaos. He tackled him to the ground, and by instinct slammed the gunpoint on his temple.

Suigetsu glared down at him, vision still hazy from the adrenaline rush. All he could see was Kiba's satisfied face smirking back at him.

It boiled his blood.

He punched him square in the face. "Where's Inuzuka?" He punched him again, drawing blood this time. "Where is _he_!?" The blood squirted on his jacket and splattered on his face, but he didn't care. He kept striking, repeating the same question over and over.

* * *

Obviously, Kiba knew they would come. He told everyone in advance that they would have to make their move sooner than usual. Their main group had packed up and left on quickly crafted rafts, gliding on down the river the moment the first sound of thunder struck.

Naruto left first with Sasuke, followed by Tenten, Neji, and Lee. Sakura let everyone else go before her, choosing to take Ino with herself.

When Suigetsu and his men found their location, they were already gone. They infiltrated the base and the rest of the people, however, temporarily seizing command with their guns and their threats.

It didn't take long to find out the man they wanted was gone, however. But strangely, and much to everyone's surprise, Suigetsu didn't seem frustrated at all. It almost seemed like he was expecting it to happen.

"It's not rocket science," he explained coldly. "They purposefully clued us out to mess with us. There was a low chance we'd actually find them. But now, we can start questioning."

Karin shook her head. "God, when I find this Inuzuka guy, I'm gonna kill him myself."

This earned her a sudden, unexpected death glare from Suigetsu. "_Don't_."

Karin retreated in shock for a millisecond, but shrugged him off with a scoff. "Oh, my bad. That's _your job_. Fucking calm down, Sui."

He paid her no heed as he sat down next to her in the old hut, ready to bring in the villagers one by one, ready to inquire them about the whereabouts. There had to be one little weed that he could take advantage of.

The first one came in. She was a woman with dark brown hair named Saki.

"Inuzuka? Why would you want to know about him? If you ask me, Uzumaki and Hyuuga are the main around here – "

"Did we _ask _you about fucking Uzumaki?" Karin snapped immediately, making the woman cringe.

Suigetsu merely sighed, rubbing his temple. "Next," he said.

The next villager came in, this time a man with black hair. "Oh, so it's you!" he exclaimed. "I was just leaving the old shack that they kept your wife in."

Karin facepalmed, but Suigetsu's interest was visibly piqued. "Where is it?" he asked.

"Just out back."

He turned back to Karin. "Karin, you stay here. I'll be right back."

Karin did not look happy.

* * *

"Your hands are so rough," Ino scolded.

"Thanks," Suigetsu replied easily. "They are hands that possess authority." He laid his hand over Ino's, holding it over the breakfast table. She smiled just barely, letting him.

"Wonder how many lives you have in that hand sometimes," she remarked, casually scrolling through her phone with the other hand.

"My hands don't _just _have the power to kill." He grasped her hand tighter.

Ino's blue eyes peered at him suspiciously. "Hey, I don't know what you're planning, but not now. I'm on my period, so chill."

"I never said anything."

Suigestu felt a smirk curve his lips, and he leaned over the table to quickly peck her on the lips. Ino seemed a lightly startled, as she hadn't seen it coming. She kissed him back lightly when his other hand cupped her chin.

"You're not really on your period," Suigetsu said. "I would know."

Ino bit her lip while grinning, realizing she'd been caught in the lie. Before questioning how he even knew such a creepy thing, she kissed him again, and all lingering thoughts receded to the depths of her mind, never to be dredged up again.

While Suigetsu remembered all of this, he stared at the severed rope littering the ground, wondering how she felt when she was tied up in it.

* * *

The backs of Ino's hands were pressed taut against wet rock. She was leaning against it, only lightly fidgeting as she had given up getting out. She was leaning against another cave; she briefly wondered if it was the same one – this whole place was beginning to look the same; watching Kiba spar by himself outside.

She watched him for a long time, wondering if he was just trying to show off. Then again, that wouldn't exactly be his primary concern, would it? She knew he was doing this to get back at Suigetsu, but by letting her live, it seemed he had ulterior motives. The knife in his hand glinted each time the sun peeked out of the clouds.

Her question would soon be answered. She nearly jumped, startled at the sound of something knocking against the cold hard ground. Neji and Hinata were approaching her from her right, both carrying a young, battered man ,who was yelling and begging for them to let go. Neji was emotionless, and Hinata tried her best to be the same.

"We found him," Neji told him. "Go on." He pushed the frightened man towards Kiba.

Ino watched.

He stood up straight as soon as he caught sight of Kiba. Brushing his sweaty bangs out of his eyes, the desperate pleas began again. "K-Kiba… I don't know anything, I swear. It wasn't me, I swear!"

Kiba said nothing, only leaning in closer to inspect him. Neji shook his head, and Hinata looked on gravely. "Tell the truth," she said.

"Any trouble getting here?" Kiba questioned, ignoring both of them. "Up to your taste and all?" Thrown off by the question, he merely nodded, trembling as he did so.

Ino swallowed thickly from the distance, feeling apprehension fill her throat.

"So, what's that?" Kiba nodded his head and gaze flickering downwards. "A watch?" The other man remained speechless, still shaking. "It that the one I got you?"

He nodded again, this time more surely.

Kiba was trying not to smile; he knew he had an audience. He couldn't reveal too much, but his tendency of restraining himself only led to his inevitable burst.

"You had my sister, too," Kiba said. His tone grew exponentially darker when he added, "Where is she."

"I-I don't know," the man barely managed to stutter.

"Did you lose her? That's hilarious. You've kept the watch safe this whole time... but you lost _her_." Kiba turned away, shaking his head as he tried to gather himself. He gripped his knife tighter. Neji and Hinata had dutifully turned away.

"Please," the man whispered, looking to the Hyuuga. "Please tell him to leave me alone. I don't know anything, I've never known anything!" They faced him stonily, not responding.

"Where is she?" Kiba repeated.

Ino watched, as everyone kept repeating themselves and tensions ran higher and Kiba's voice was getting dangerously lower and the man's voice got desperately higher and Hinata and Neji refused to say anything. Then, Kiba screamed, the knife had blood, the young man let out an ear-piercing roar, and there was a severed limb on the ground.

Ino looked away, eyes clenched shut, swallowing her own scream.


	5. now there's grey

**notes; **thank you so much to the anon who reviewed the last four chapters! i really, REALLY appreciate the feedback. as for the lucidity, i am trying to do a 'slow reveal' type of thing which may be the reason the plot is a little murky right now. i really like painting vivid images but thanks for pointing out that i may be using a bit too much :p i will try to incorporate your advice in this chapter! (although the last scene is meant to be very heavily action-based! 'cos you know. kibaino sexual tension 4life)

5\. — now there's grey

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The cameraman blinked, eyes flickering above to a dark brown vulture that glided past in a gentle swoop. It let out a mighty cry before it transitioned to a tiny dot on the horizon, and then to a fading memory. He briefly wondered if he had seen it at all.

"Yo, camera dude!"

His attention was snapped back to the man who'd called his name. He was a blonde, standing out among the rest of his fellow felons. He was waving with a cheeky grin on his face, much to the annoyance of the others.

"You're going to ruin the picture with your stupidity," Sasuke told him dutifully.

"Why can't I smile?" Naruto pouted.

"Because we're _criminals. _We're _supposed _to look menacing."

"No but seriously? We have got to look badass. How else are we gonna scare the shit out of Big Bad Policeman?" Tenten inquired, crossing her arms.

The moment she did so, however, Ino let out a rough growl and tried to pull out from Neji and Lee's restraints. She did not succeed, and it only led to her gaining everyone's attention once more. They stared at her.

"It's just a picture, Ino," Sakura tried to assure her, leaning forward to catch her gaze.

Ino glared. "Oh, trust me, I know what you're doing."

"We really don't have time for this," Chouji sighed, while Shikamaru nodded briefly to show is approval. His glance later flickered to Ino, and it rested there for a moment before flitting away again.

"Well if Ms. Lavender keeps this... this _unyouthfulness_ up, we will not be able to take a good photo!" Lee insisted, still trying his best to keep Ino in place as she continually tried to wrench herself away from his grasp.

A collective sigh emerged from the group, and from the cameraman as well. It was clear he was second-guessing his decision to come out all the way here. He briefly hoped it really would be worth his time, and these hobos were as famous as they claimed to be.

Sasuke turned to give Kiba a look. "What are you going to do?" he asked, eyes narrowed. Kiba got the message.

_This is your responsibility, after all._

Kiba suddenly grinned, and its wolfish quality rung a bell. Everyone knew that smile. He leaned over to the side and whispered something to Hinata, who had been meekly standing behind him the entire time.

"_Just smack her upside the head_."

And though she looked pained to do it, her hand sharply came into contact with the back of Ino's head, causing her eyes to bulge and her mouth to drop. She had frozen completely.

Everyone broke out into spontaneous laughter.

_Snap. _

"Perfect," said the cameraman.

* * *

The police dogs ran as a pack, and their leash holders as an extension of that pack. Suigetsu and the others followed closely behind, tensed at the context of the atmosphere.

"So you're sure this is leading to something?" Karin discreetly murmured to Sai as she ran alongside him.

"Positive. I know the scent of blood," he informed her with his favorite smile.

Karin blanched. "Ugh."

Suigetsu gave Sai a strange look upon hearing the remark, but didn't ponder it further. The dogs were slowing down and sniffing around, trying to pinpoint the source... or in this case, their target.

The dogs reached the base of a tall tree, trying and failing to hike up its trunk. They settled for barking at it incessantly, confusing the policemen. They scanned the area, but nothing could be readily seen.

"Ah, you're looking in the wrong area," Sai pointed out. "The dogs are barking _up_, you see."

Everyone looked up, eyes widening and jaws slackening at something they weren't expecting. A scarecrow hung from the highest branches, dressed in a familiar old, torn lavender dress. It boiled Suigetsu's blood to know exactly what Inuzuka was trying to say. He glared at it, eyes locking with its dark dirt eyes.

"It's just their stupid mind games again," Karin said, exhaling loudly in frustration. "We seriously ran all this way for a fucking scarecrow? Suigetsu, are you serious?"

Suigetsu brought a finger to his lips. "Shh," he said.

Karin frowned at the gesture. She stepped forward, presumably to inspect the scene herself, before Sai spoke out first.

"Four Eyes! Don't take another step!"

She was moving too fast to process the statement, and Karin fell into the trap wire. The pull triggered the release of something else, Suigetsu didn't even know what, but he knew that that scarecrow was falling down, jerking to a hault one inch above the ground, still hanging from the rope.

There was also screaming.

"Who..." Karin trailed off, but her eyes widened in horror as the universe answered her instantly.

The dangling scarecrow slowly whirled around, and a man was strapped to the back of it, holding his own severed forearm. He was splattered with crusting, dry blood. He also hadn't stopped shouting.

"Shit!" Karin cursed, immediately feeling for her walkie-talkie. She turned around the others, commanding, "Contact the nearest hospital, now! And bring the jeeps, there should be a first aid kit stuffed in the secret compartment!"

While everyone scattered to obey, Suigetsu stood in place, slightly intrigued as he continued to stare at the de-limbed man whimpering and sobbing in front of him. He did not say a word.

"Sir," Sai said. He had been at his side the entire time, taking his duty to protect seriously. "The blood is clotting. We may be able to re-attach the arm if we hurry."

Suigetsu was barely listening. "Please leave us alone for a moment."

Sai pursed his lips before he nodded and walked the other direction, following Karin, whose hands were visibly shaking even from the distance. He shook his head and figured she could probably talk to someone anyway.

Suigetsu watched the man, his face caked with dried blood, teeth bared as he inhaled every breath harshly due to the pain. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was dry and filthy. He looked absolutely disgusting.

When he spoke, the words came easily. Familiarly. "You're Inuzuka's brother-in-law, aren't you?"

The man sobbed in response, trying to muster up the strength to be angry. "He cut it off," he cried. "He _cut it off._"

"I thought you were family," Suigetsu said, continuing to ignore him.

"That animal _cut my arm off_," he continued, still writhing from the memory.

"Is that so?"

"He's not human. He's a _monster_."

"Why would he do that," Suigetsu whispered, leaning in close enough to inhale the iron from that man. "What does that mean, huh?"

The man shook his head, tears leaking from his eyes. "The pain is killing me. I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm _dying_... Please, take me to a hospital..."

Suigetsu placed a hand on the man's shoulder, stepping up even closer. "He dressed you in my wife's clothes and tied you behind a scarecrow that we would only find if the trap wire was set. What's he trying to tell me?"

"I - I'm not," the man managed to get out, still a blubbering mess of tears. He paused, realizing Suigetsu's hand was slowly trailing down his left shoulder. Slowly. Agonizingly.

"No," he pleaded.

"Why did he send you?" Suigetsu's hand was on the rim of the wound now, centimeters away from touching bare bone and sticky blood. The man began to hyperventilate, eyes bulging as his chest began to rise and fall quickly.

"I don't know, stop - _stop, please - DON'T_!"

"Is he going to do the same thing to me?" Suigetsu grilled, voice borderline amused as his hand fearlessly gripped the area of incision. The man's scream was ear-piercing, but Suigetsu could barely hear it.

"_You're KILLING ME!" _he screeched between his roaring screams, kicking and shaking back and forth in unbearable pain. He kept screaming, up until the point where his speech was no longer coherent and his voice was practically mute from strain.

Suigetsu let go, clearly unsatisfied.

* * *

Ino woke up, and she started crying again. Lower lip trembling, salty tears falling into the crook of her lips. She was curled up on her side, pretending like her back wasn't aching from sleeping on rock. She was dressed in clothes Sakura had given her: a well-worn, short purple top and shorts. It was almost like athletic wear - so nothing she would ever consider, anyway. She had tied her hair back into a low ponytail; unable to find a good hairband.

She felt so lost, and so hopeless.

She had screamed for him in her dreams.

_Sui, where are you._

Her voice echoed back, taunting her even in her unconscious.

_If you don't hurry up they're going to **kill me.**_

_Are you trying to see how brave I am? Because I'm not! I'm **not **brave! _

_I'm just pretending, I'm..._

Ino, unable to contain herself, let out a sob.

_I'm screaming. I act brave. Please tell me you didn't leave. Please answer me. Answer me!_

"When will I see you," Ino whispered aloud, voice still raspy from yelling.

"Hey, you!"

Ino slowly turned around, trying not to give herself away. Tenten was crouching over from the top of the pit Ino was currently being contained in, holding a basket in her arms. "Praying is not gonna help you out here. Anyway, here's some food."

Ino found herself wishing for Sakura again.

* * *

"_...Kiba, the tape is running. ... Oh, it is? ... Yeah, start!" _

It would seem like Suigetsu was barely listening to the tape droning on in the background, with the way his eyes were focused on the newspaper he was reading inside of his quaint little tent. But it really wasn't the newspaper he was staring at. It was the photo of his wife, his wife's wide, terriifed eyes, surrounded by maniacally laughing idiots.

"_Sup. How ya doin'? Well, not well, I hope. 'Cause, you know, this is all your fault in the first place. But you know that, so." _

Suigetsu took out the cigar from his mouth, blowing grey ringlets through the air. He stared at the bright orange embers embedding the end of the tube, almost wanting to laugh, realizing he _loved _the burn. He touched the hot end to one of the convict's faces in the newspaper, watching it slowly turn into charred black dust.

"_I'm poor. I don't have an education. I haven't been sucking on a silver spoon since day one; I'm not you. So of course, that makes me the villain here. That's how these things work, right?"_

Suigetsu blew off the burnt remains, now poking through the next face.

"_Did you see the picture? Recognize your wife's pretty little face? We went through a lot of trouble to take that picture, so keep it safe, yeah? Don't lose it. If you don't see her again, at least you'll have the picture."_

He was working on the third face, now. It was one he recognized. Konohamaru.

"_Are you mad? Does it hurt? Does it feel like something's pushing down on your chest and making you suffocate? One woman abducted from your home is apparently enough to get seven jeeps trailing after us, stirring up every little living thing and human in these woods. Am I supposed to feel flattered?"_

He burned through them faster. He stuck the cigar's end through Uzumaki, Uchiha, and Haruno.

"_Are your people beautiful, priceless works of art? And are ours just dirt? Meaningless, just another casualty on the report card?"_

Aburame. Hyuuga.

_"You better pray. Pray that your wife doesn't end up the same as my sister."_

And then, Inuzuka's face was gone, too. He stared at a paper filled with char-brimmed holes, mind blank yet focused, eyes emotionless yet driven.

"_So keep it safe."_

* * *

Ino had almost forgotten where she was, mind somewhere far from chirping birds and rushing water. She glanced down, realizing that the steam was absent, and the hot rice had grown cold. She hadn't been hungry.

She stood up, dusting the soil off of her skin, wincing when she touched an open cut. She blew on it gently, hoping it wouldn't get infected. She examined her surroundings, wondering if they left her anything else.

There were a bunch of doubtful-looking plant roots descending from above; a possible escape route. Ino tugged on them, wondering if they were steady.

"Is anyone there?" she called out, waiting.

When she received no affirmation, she wasted no time in starting the climb. It was probably one of the most athletically challenging experiences she had ever gone through - climbing up a wet, wall-like pit with seemingly nothing to hold onto. She dug her fingernails into the tiny ledges she could find and began to hoist her way up the roots.

She was almost at the top when the makeshift rope snapped, and Ino nearly fell. Blinking tears out of her eyes, she let out a groan as she tore a nail trying to hold her place. She attempted to boost herself out with just her arms, hands desperately holding on to the ledge. Feet scraping against the wet walls, she barely managed to propel herself onto the ground without falling.

After lying on the ground, recovering in deep shuddering breaths, she realized what she was doing.

Ino gathered all of her strength just trying to stand up. She hadn't realized what a toll the past few days had taken on her. Her entire body was aching with soreness, and certain areas pained when she put pressure on them. She didn't even want to know how many bruises she had and where they all were.

Ino headed for the shrubbery, where she hoped she would go unnoticed, veiled behind thick forest life. Unfortunately, she was already five minutes inside, trying to climb over a boulder that blocked her path when she noticed someone sleeping a mere five feet away.

They were here.

She bit her tongue, trying not to utter curses, slowly making her way around the large rock. She chided herself, how could they be here, how did she not know where she was going, what were they doing here, did they _know_-?

Her eyes, unfocused as she had withdrawn into her mind, failed to notice the terrain she was stepping on. It was wet, slippery mud, and she fell right on her behind. Before she even had to worry about the shriek she let out waking anyone up, she was sliding downwards into a sudden declination in land she had failed to notice. She tumbled through tree trunks, random thorns, and when nature spared her - leaves, until she slowly came to a stop at the bottom.

She cracked one eye open, slowly uncurling from the fetal position she had assumed during the tumble.

She thought - maybe this was it.

She stood up again, adrenaline pumping through her veins in the thrill of sudden danger, free hair littered with soil and leaves and flowers swishing behind her as she began to start walking again, anywhere as long as it wasn't _here_.

But whenever hope came, it left just as quickly.

"Stop."

The voice rung clear; her heart stopped; her stomach dropped, and she froze.

"Where ya goin'?"

Ino frenziedly scanned her surroundings, trying to find him. Eyes wide and dark, dark blue, she spun in circles in trying to pin down the source.

"Go back to where you were, tie yourself back up, and go to sleep. Do _not_ make this harder than it has to be."

Then it made sense, as a camouflage blanket (except it was _real _camouflage - he was covered in leaves and dirt) was casually shrugged off his shoulders right in front of her, and Kiba sat up from what appeared to be a very deep nap. His eyes were swollen and he appeared to very cross.

His eyes met hers, and a telling smirk rose upon his face. "Be a good girl for once," he said.

Ino continued breathing shakily, determinedly meeting his gaze, feeling the rage that his voice filled her with. How could he so condescending, how could he be doing this to her; she was fucking _sick _of being _helpless_ and she did wanted to see him _dead_.

The next few moments occurred in such a rage-fueled, mindless haze that she didn't even think they happened. She remembers grabbing the staff by his feet and pulling it back to swing - but that's when things slowed down. She swung forward, a scream erupting from her throat, but Kiba barely moved. He was still smiling at her.

He easily stopped her, his hand wrapping around the staff that would have, if a second late, came into contact with his skull.

He stared at her, dropping the smile, as if challenging her.

Ino glared back, and did the rational thing - she screamed and tried to swing at him again.

Kiba dodged her again, almost showing while he did it. He had an advantage, he knew it, but it was Ino inviting him to play and he was not about to turn her down on that one.

He stood suddenly, stretching his arms forward and popping his neck. His sleeves brushed by Ino's face, and she was momentarily paralyzed as she began to realize something. She didn't want to accept it, though, whatever it was she was realizing, so she swung again, this time at his face.

Kiba caught the staff once again easily, but this time he held on to it. Ino tried to wrench it out of his grasp, but he would not let go. Instead, he twisted it around her, forcing her to step closer, mere inches away from his face.

His gaze connected with hers again, and he felt a tension began to bubble in his stomach. He saw fear, and something else, in Ino's bottom-of-the-ocean eyes, clear but murky, _tainted_ with something else. He thought she was _easy_. Not weak, but easy.

And that's what cost him. Ino stepped back gracefully, kneeling to the ground and splashing sand into his face. His eyes immediately clamped shut on instinct, and Ino took off running. He shook his head, blinking sand out of his eyes, and grinned at her distant figure.

She was smart, and this was fun. In a weird, sadistic way, he thought in addition.

Kiba knew she would eventually have to stop. Ino only realized this once she reached a dead end, so busy looking back that she hadn't seen the creek right in front of her. She had slipped once more. and now she was drenched in clear water. The ground surface was covered in large, rounded stones, so it hurt when her cheekbone came into contact with one of the jagged rocks.

She could hear his footsteps, but she tried to focus on the scent of the water in her hair. It was like life and fresh dew.

But she would have to face the inevitable, anyway. Ino turned, fear finally showing clearly in her eyes as she turned on her back, watching Kiba's ominous figure looming over her. He had no weapon in his hands, but she wondered briefly if that would stop him anyway.

Her quick thinking decided to strike her one more time.

Kiba was standing in the creek, his feet perched on the rocks. Back still partially on the ground, she used her foot to nudge the rock he was standing on out of the way. He lost his balance, and Ino finally saw genuine shock and fear in his eyes. Before she could revel in satisfaction, however, she realized she had only made things worse for herself.

Kiba fell forward.

He fell forward, but he caught himself just in time, both hands next to either of her shoulders. He wasn't touching her, but he was mere centimeters away from it. Ino felt herself swallow as she was sucked back into his gaze once more, as if he _wanted _her to look at him. She didn't understand why.

Was he trying to make her feel intimidated?

Kiba didn't move. The only movement was the heaving of his chest to breathe, widely out of sync with Ino's own chest. She was inhaling erratically, barely realizing that she was blowing hot air onto his lips.

She propped herself up onto her hands, taking gentle, slow movements backwards. Kiba still hadn't moved, and she prayed he wouldn't. She tried not to do anything that would cause alarm, so she held his gaze as she backed up, even though it was the most uncomfortable thing. She didn't know why it made her feel so nervous.

She began to sit up, but froze in alarm, realizing her chest would soon come into contact with his face if he did. He was still looking at her, though, seemingly unaware of anything that was going on, yet also seemingly _completely aware_. He moved back so she could be free.

He said nothing as she stood up, merely lifting his face to keep his eyes on her as she began to retreat.

He didn't smirk this time.

* * *

Ino realized they were in limbo. She didn't know if she was going to keep up the fight or just let it go. But he didn't ask, so she didn't answer. Instead, she sat down in front of the giant oak tree, trying to gather herself while Kiba waited by the waterfall. Of course, this is what Kiba thought was happening. Ino, in reality, was very close by him.

Kiba kept his eyes open, surveying the area for her. He wasn't sure if she was going to try something, so he was still trying to remain alert within the frenzy of thoughts currently running through his mind. The thoughts that she was the cause of him. Ino was the reason for everything these days, he thought.

And then he cried out, feeling a wind rush by and a sharp pain pierce his neck.

Ino stood behind him, eyes wide with the realization that she had actually struck him. She seemed like she regretted it, especially when her hand covered her mouth at the sight of blood pouring from the cut.

The blood that made Ino gasp made Kiba smile. He touched it; watched it drip down his fingers. He turned around, ready for her. His laughter incited her anger.

She struck again, crying out in anger, "Let me _go_!"

He dodged her cleverly every single time she attempted to strike, taunting her with faces every time she missed. Once, he ducked under and passed through the curtain of her hair, eyes fluttering closed at the surprisingly feel-good sensation.

When he decided he'd had enough, he stopped her by grasping the jagged rock-weapon in her hand, pulling her back into his chest close so that they were almost touching again, but never would. He easily snatched the weapon from her hand, discarding it behind them. And then, he put his hand a mere inch away from her face, slowly gliding it downwards.

His hands hovered dangerously close to the swell of her breasts, and he observed her expression, watching an unfamiliar emotion swim in her eyes. He didn't want to say she was terrified, but it was the only adjective close enough to describe it. He continued to taunt her with the unsaid expression that was lingering in the air, hands hovering so close to her body, to her face - but never touching her.

The thing Ino was beginning to realize earlier finally hit her at full force, as she watched his hands slowly retreat, and felt the breath on the nape of her neck slowly recede.

He had power, but he would never use it against her.


	6. rain and wind and lavender

notes: basically i've been in college. so. yeah. sporadic update! oH ALSO: sugar is supposed to mess with gasoline fuel and render it too sticky to function. that is all :P and i'm aware this is super short, but i'll probably try and update sooner this time!

6\. — rain and wind and lavender

&amp;.

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.

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"Man, you guys are slow!" Naruto groaned, crossing his arms in a childish display, complete with a pout.

He was standing in the centre of a raft, which spun around and around in circles in the river due to Konohamaru and his teammates. They sat on the edges, using their hands to propel the vehicle in circles.

"Not our fault you're so damn heavy," Konohamaru retorted, sticking his tongue out at him.

"Oi!" Naruto lunged for the boy, but did not anticipate the agile little boy dodging so quickly. He fell face-first into the water.

Laughter rung throughout the clearing.

That's when Kiba sprung from the surface, propping himself onto the raft with an enthusiastic growl.

"Aw, no fair!" Moegi complained. "You never lose in the spinny raft game!"

"Hey, I'm better company than that old geezer Naruto, aren't I?" Kiba questioned, perking an eyebrow.

The group looked at each other, shrugged, and then nodded, ignoring Naruto's indignant cries from the distance.

Kiba let out a barking laugh, keeping his arms slightly spread to attain his balance on the spinning vehicle. They had barely begun when a flash of white caught his eyes. He struggled to keep his eyes on the spot, having to turn this way and that while he spun.

It was Ino, and she had cleaned up. It seemed Sakura had given her something new to wear: a worn red tunic that was too short for her tall figure, and black leggings that stopped at her knees.

Her face shone pale after washing away all the dirt; the only blemishes left behind were the few bruises that she had acquired during their long trek up the cliff. Her eyes were still as murky as the ocean floor.

"Well, would you look at that," Kiba said, wearing a sarcastically serious expression. "She actually kinda looks _not _like a prissy upscale city girl and... more like us in these clothes, doesn't she?"

"Yep!" the kids all nodded in agreement, giggling quietly.

Ino simply glared.

Kiba laughed. "After a while, you might even lose that pale-ass complexion and get a little tan. You know, blend in with us a little more."

"She's glaring at you, old man!" Udon yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Ino.

Kiba paid him no heed, though. "You should just go ahead and stay with us, don't you think?" The sarcasm had dramatically decreased in his tone.

Moegi instantly seemed to realize what was going on, and burst into a fit of giggles while Konohamaru and Udon simply gaped at both of them, looking back and forth.

It was an odd sight to see, Kiba turning his head every now and then to maintain eye contact with Ino, Moegi laughing, and the other two continuously peddling with such flabbergasted expressions.

Ino turned to leave, and Kiba finally felt himself start to smile.

"Oi, give us an answer!" Kiba shouted.

"_Us_?" Konohamaru echoed.

"You can't just leave without answering. Would you stay or not?"

Ino turned around, her eyes sharp and piercing when they made contact with Kiba's.

"Where's your gun?" she asked. "Shoot me dead already. It's better then answering your dumbass questions."

Kiba's smirk faded a bit. "Alright. Maybe I shouldn't have asked something like that." But after saying that, he felt his anger spike.

"But then – you should have never met that guy. You should've never gotten married to him. You should've never moved here. You shouldn't have done what you did.

I shouldn't have gotten mad, and I shouldn't have dragged you here because of it and I shouldn't have wanted to kill you and you shouldn't have fearlessly jumped off the cliff and I shouldn't have lost my shit and came after you!"

He took a breath after the angry outburst, feeling his body flood with heat.

"I shouldn't have felt the breath return to my lungs once I saw you open your eyes." Kiba frowned, teeth bared in a growl as he looked off into the distance. "Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore. I can't change anything. I can't change the disgusting thoughts in my head and I can't changed what I asked you. But the point is... would you actually stay?"

Ino's expression had frozen, glare still in place, but she seemed to be thinking.

"Say you never married that cop. Think you'd be with me?" he dared to ask, smirking. "Hm?"

Everyone had gone quite silent (even Naruto who was still floating in the distance, listening), and the raft slowly came to a stop.

Ino never replied.

* * *

"Something is quite off here, you know. And I'm surprised none of you have said a word about it."

Suigetsu paced up and down the length of the tent while his men lined up on either side. Karin and Sai stood off to the corner, eyeing the entire situation warily.

"We've run into him indirectly twice. That tied up man; the man who held his own severed arm. That was certainly no coincidence, was it?"

Silence.

"He's been tracking our every move. I mean, we – all of us – know that this is in no way possible... unless he has a loyal source of information."

Everyone knew what he was getting at.

"Some pretty little bird in the jungle has been flying off to Inuzuka's shoulder and telling secrets that it shouldn't be. 'The chief is heading this way.' 'The chief is coming with all of his men.' Things like that."

Suigetsu had been surveying all of them closely, and noticed that one particular man with a clenched fist refused to make eye contact. Seriously? How pathetically easy.

"Has anyone here seen that bird?" Suigetsu asked them.

Everyone looked at each other, and even Karin didn't really seem to know what was going on. Sai simply smiled as if he found the whole situation quite entertaining all of a sudden.

"What about you, Takeshi?"

His fist unclenched quickly.

"For how many days, hm?" Suigetsu questioned.

Takeshi, face steeled carefully like a mask, replied, "Sir?"

"How many days have you been giving Inuzuka information, obviously."

"What?"

"From where we're coming, how many people..."

"S-Sir... I don't—"

Suigetsu swiftly gave him a fist to the gut.

"How about now?"

"You're going too far! H-How dare you physically harm another officer—" Takeshi tried to speak up, but was silenced by another hit.

"You dare call yourself a member of our force after what you've done?"

"I—"

This time, he grabbed him by his hair, slamming his face into one of the desks. Blood trickled from Takeshi's nose.

"Take me to him _now_."

* * *

The funny thing was, Kiba still managed to be one, two, no, ten steps ahead.

As soon as their police jeeps were off, his men had jumped onto the sides of the moving vehicles silently, climbing underneath and unscrewing their gas tanks. Doing as they were told, they emptied packets of sugar into their tanks. As silently as they came, they dropped and rolled off, mission completed.

Meanwhile, Suigetsu, Sai, and Takeshi were having a heated discussion inside the jeep.

"In six months, you'd get a transfer and move somewhere else," said Takeshi from the passenger's seat. "We need to live here. My siblings have to get an education here. I did what I had to."

Sai was in his usual position — hanging upside down from the top of the jeep, peeking into their open windows. "He has a point, sir."

"So? You put on a police uniform and work for Inuzuka?" Suigetsu retorted.

"That also makes sense," Sai agreed, pointedly looking at Takeshi.

"Anyway, I'm only guessing. I don't know if Inuzuka will be there for sure or not—"

"Then only tell us what you know for sure!" Suigetsu snapped. "_We'll _find him."

That's when all of the vehicles started coming to a halt. A throng of voices began to speak at once, confused at the sudden turn of events.

They unloaded, inspecting the gas tanks. There was no way they could be empty after having just refueled.

"Sir," a man came to Suigetsu. "It's sugar."

"Definitely," Sai added, spitting it out after having a taste from the opened gas tank. "How did they do this to a moving vehicle?"

They all looked at Takeshi.

He swallowed, seemingly genuinely afraid.

"I don't know."

* * *

"It's _raiding time_~" Naruto sang in a sing-song voice.

"Keep your damn voice down," Sasuke muttered.

But there was no point. Once the entire gang flooded into the police camp site, everything was chaos. Tenten wrapped a rag over an old watchman's head while Sakura elbowed another officer straight in the nose.

While the others worked on holding off the remaining officers Suigetsu had left to watch the camp, Naruto and Sasuke entered the tents and started grabbing shotguns and pistols and stuffing as many as they could in their bags.

Kiba himself was also present, overseeing the mission. He seemed to be searching for something, peeking inside each tent before abandoning it and going to the next. He entered one of them, carefully taking in his surroundings.

A glance to his side and he saw his reflection in a mirror. He growled, and for some strange reason, punched it so that it shattered. Seeing his face in the broken pieces scattering the floor, he felt himself smirk again.

Then, he heard the walkie-talkie.

"_Matsuda? Matsuda is everything alright over there? Over."_

It was Suigetsu's voice.

Kiba, with a look of wonder, wandered over to the contraption.

"It's Kiba," he said in a whisper-yell.

"_Matsuda? Matsuda, where are you. Over."_

Suigetsu didn't seem to have heard him, probably because Kiba didn't understand how to use the device. Losing interest, Kiba stood from his crouched position and his gaze wandered over to a very particular lavender dress that captured his attention.

It was badly torn and stained, but Suigetsu had hung it up and cleaned it as much as he could.

He stared at it as the breeze from the window caused it to sway. Flashes of Ino began to pass through his mind again. The images that he'd stored in his memory got pushed to the front of his brain again: the time he spent climbing with her, the image of her crouched over a tiny fire, and the look she gave him after she left.

Outside, the noise of the chaos began to slowly dwindle down as they all began to carry the supplies back to their base.

"C'mon, c'mon, everyone!" Naruto called, showing the way for departure.

"Wh-Where's Kiba?" Hinata asked as she caught up, slightly panting.

"No idea, we'll discuss it later, you've gotta get outta here, Hinata!" Naruto urged, gently placing a hand on her back and pushing her. She stiffened up and immediately started running.

"He's probably doing something stupid," said Neji as he passed by Naruto.

Naruto sighed. "Probably."

Sasuke, who was by Naruto's side, watched the seemingly empty camp site. "He can handle himself."

Kiba was still in the tent, marvelling at all of the objects inside of Suigetsu's personal tent. He had found a photo of himself, and found that he couldn't stop laughing at it. He felt oddly proud, and almost went to pocket it, until he heard a noise. He froze, eyeballs flickering to his side.

Karin walked into the tent.

"Fuck, it's YOU—" That's all Karin got out before she was gagged from behind. She screeched and struggled to get out of the hold of her captor, but it was no use.

"You're welcome," said Sasuke, as he began to drag her out of the tent.


End file.
